Typically, pet leash mechanisms are biased to provide constant retraction force. That is, as the pet moves away from the leash holder (owner), the pet leash mechanism constantly pulls the animal toward the mechanism. Such a pull can cause irritation of the pet's skin and frustration to a pet seeking a measure of freedom. Further, the constant pull of typical pet leash mechanisms indicates to the pet that the owner wishes for the pet to remain close to the owner when this may or may not be the case.
Also, pet leash mechanisms, including the spool for winding the leash as it is retracted, are held by the pet owner. When the owner has finished walking the pet, the distal end of the leash is detached from the pet's collar. The owner then places the pet leash mechanism aside for the next walk. Inevitably, later in the day, the owner decides it is time for walking the pet and the leash has been misplaced. This problem is prevalent in situations where more than one person walk the pet. For example, a first person walks the pet, detaches the mechanism and places it somewhere he will remember. Later, a second person desires to walk the pet but does not know where the first person has placed the mechanism.
Thus, there is a need for a pet collar assembly for carrying a leash and providing means for retracting the leash on demand. There is a need for the assembly to be carried by the pet but should remain detachable as necessary.
The above and other needs are met by a pet collar assembly removably attached to a pet collar for carrying a leash and extending and retracting the leash as necessary. The pet collar assembly includes a housing, an actuator disposed adjacent the housing for actuating retraction of the leash upon receiving outside force higher than a threshold retraction force, and a spool communicating with the actuator and for coiling the leash when the actuator receives outside force higher than the threshold retraction force.
In some embodiments, the pet collar assembly includes a fastener receiver disposed proximate to an upper surface of the housing and wherein the leash has a distal end and comprises a fastener disposed at its distal end, the fastener for detachably mating with the fastener receiver. The fastener receiver includes a first piece and a second piece disposed proximate to one another and provides a crevice for receiving the fastener. In some embodiments, the actuator includes a button protruding from a button aperture in an upper surface of the housing and a button shaft extending from the button into an interior of the housing. A hook mechanically communicates with the button shaft such that the hook rotates as an actuating force is applied to the button.
The spool includes a spool body and a first spool rim disposed on a distal end of the spool body. The first spool rim has a plurality of teeth for engaging the hook. The spool also has a second spool rim disposed opposite the first spool rim. The actuator includes a second hook mechanically communicating with the button shaft such that the second hook rotates as an actuating force is applied to the button, and the second spool rim has a plurality of teeth for engaging the second hook. In some embodiments, an elastic band is connected to and applies a force on the hook such that the hook maintains substantial engagement with at least one of the plurality of teeth at least until the actuating force is applied to the button.
In various embodiments, at least one of the leash, fastener, and the housing is camouflage colored for minimizing its visibility in wooded environments and in various other embodiments, at least one of the leash, fastener, and housing emits illumination for maximizing its visibility in dark environments.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a pet collar assembly removably attached to a pet collar carries a leash and allows for extending and retracting the leash as necessary. The pet collar assembly includes a housing and an actuator assembly disposed adjacent the housing for actuating retraction of the leash upon receiving outside force higher than a threshold retraction force. The actuator assembly includes a button protruding from a button aperture in an upper surface of the housing for receiving the outside force and a button shaft attached to the button, extending into the housing and having a plurality of actuator notched threads. A hook shaft is disposed substantially perpendicular to the button shaft and has a plurality of hook notched threads corresponding to and engaging the plurality of actuator notched threads such that as the button shaft moves in a longitudinal direction, the hook shaft rotates about its longitudinal axis. A hook is attached to the hook shaft for rotating with the hook shaft; and an elastic band attached to the hook and an interior of the housing for biasing the actuator assembly in a locked configuration. When the button receives an outside force greater than the threshold retraction force, the button and the button shaft extend further into the housing causing the hook shaft and the hook to rotate. Finally, the pet collar assembly has a spool that communicates with the actuator assembly and is biased for coiling the leash when the actuator assembly receives outside force higher than the threshold retraction force.
In some embodiments, the pet collar assembly also includes a fastener receiver disposed proximate to an upper surface of the housing and wherein the leash has a distal end and comprises a fastener disposed at its distal end, the fastener for detachably mating with the fastener receiver. The fastener receiver comprises a first piece and a second piece disposed proximate to one another and providing a crevice for receiving the fastener.
In various embodiments, the spool includes a spool body and a first spool rim disposed on a distal end of the spool body, the first spool rim having a plurality of teeth for engaging the hook. The spool also includes a second spool rim disposed opposite the first spool rim, and the actuator assembly also includes a second hook attached to the hook shaft opposite the first hook and for rotating with the hook shaft. In such embodiments, the second spool rim has a plurality of teeth for engaging the second hook.
In other embodiments, the elastic band biases the actuator assembly in the locked configuration by applying a force on the hook such that the hook maintains substantial engagement with at least one of the plurality of teeth at least until the threshold retracting force is applied to the button. Such a configuration, where the threshold retracting force is applied to the button is referred to as the retracting configuration.
In various embodiments, at least one of the leash, fastener, and the housing is camouflage colored for minimizing its visibility in wooded environments, and in other embodiments, at least one of the leash, fastener, and housing emits illumination for maximizing its visibility in dark environments.